Wildfires raging in the town of Alawenat oasis in southwestern Libya have escalated into a serious crisis, consuming farmlands and palm oases and now threatening residential neighborhoods.
The fires began on Saturday and have continued to spread uncontrollably due to dry conditions, high winds, and an ongoing heatwave.
Local residents, with no help from government agencies, are battling the flames using basic tools and private vehicles.
Footage widely shared online shows families attempting to douse the fire with water-filled buckets, garden hoses, and makeshift equipment. Others have been seen evacuating their homes as the fires approach more densely populated areas.
The destruction so far includes vast stretches of farmland, historic palm groves, grape vineyards, livestock, and even parts of the town’s electrical infrastructure.
Several shops near the affected areas have been damaged, and blackouts have occurred due to burned power lines.
Saleh Sousam, head of the Local Youth Council in Alawenat, issued an urgent appeal to Libyan authorities and emergency services, warning that the fires are now posing a threat to lives and properties. “The situation is growing more dangerous by the hour,” he said. “We are facing this crisis alone, with zero support from any official body.”
Sousam emphasized that the response so far has been entirely reliant on local volunteers, who are risking their safety with little equipment or training. He warned of a looming environmental and economic catastrophe if national authorities fail to intervene.
The incident has sparked widespread criticism of Libya’s central and regional governments, both in the east and west. Citizens have accused officials of abandoning rural communities and failing to deploy even basic emergency resources to protect them.
